Nothing beats the smoky and rich flavor of grilling. When vegetables are grilled, they cook quickly and have the highest likelihood of retaining maximal nutrients. This is wonderful, since they tend to always be a hit at barbecue gatherings, and may be a nice way to introduce more nutrients to someone with a less veggie-heavy diet. Mixed in with protein-abundant quinoa, this dish is sure to be a favorite at your next pot luck. Seek out sustainably harvested hearts of palm!
Yield: 4 1/2 cups vegetables and quinoa
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Serving size: 3/4 cup
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained well
2 cups water or vegetable stock
3/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano1/8 teaspoon dried thyme1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, quartered
1 large portobello mushroom, gills removed
1 red bell pepper, quartered
4 hearts of palm
1/2 cup chopped artichoke hearts
3 tablespoons diced kalamata olives
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
2 tablespoons chiffonaded fresh basil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Directions
1. Preheat a grill. Place the quinoa, 1 3/4 cups of the water and 1/2 teaspoon of the sea salt in a pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat to low, and cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place the remaining 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the olive oil, if using, oregano, and thyme, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the black pepper in a shallow baking dish and whisk well. Add the portobello, red bell pepper, hearts of palm, and artichoke hearts and coat well.
3. Grill the marinated vegetables until tender and char marks appear, 3 to 5 minutes on each side, depending upon the heat of the grill. Chop into 1/2-inch pieces, and place in a large bowl.
4. Add the cooked quinoa and all the remaining ingredients, including the remaining teaspoon of lemon juice, and gently mix well. Serve warm or cold.
Recipe courtesy of Healing the Vegan Way Chef Mark Reinfeld of Vegan Fusion and the Doctor and the Chef
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